Basketball goal set



Oct. 29, 1963 L. NAIDETH 3,108,803

BASKETBALL GOAL SET Filed Aug. 1, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. LEON NAIDETH FIG. 3. I %/7@ ATTORNEY L. NAIDETH 3,108,803

BASKETBALL GOAL SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct. 29, 1963 Filed Aug. 1, 1960 F I G. 5.

JNVENTok. LEON NAIDETH F l G FIG.

ATTORNEY 3,198,803 EASKETEALL GGAL ET Leon Naideth, 1169 Fretllrin Drive, Covina, Calif. Filed Aug. 1, 1969, Ser. No. 46,525 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-15) This invention relates generally to a supporting frame structure kit and more particularly to an improved adjustable supporting frame structure kit selectively assemblable for supporting a basketball backboard and featuring simple adjustments making it possible to mount the backboard on widely varying supporting surfaces.

Basketball has long been a popular sport in this country, and with the trend toward more leisure time coupled with a desire to participate actively in sports, an ever greater demand has developed for the marketing of an uncomplicated basketball backboard mounting unit easily adaptable for mounting in various locations and positions. At present there is no unit on the market which provides the necessary flexibility in mounting arrangements together with relative ease of assembly. The unit of the present invention provides not only flexibility and ease of installation but also simplicity of design, ruggedness, and low costs; and it is applicable to widely varying support structure configurations. It can be easily adapted to flat, sloping, and peaked roofs, as well as to the sides of buildings merely by the selective arrangement of structural members which can be constructed into various patterns to conform with requirements of the place of installation.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved adjustable supporting frame structure kit for use primarily as a home basketball backboard.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved supporting frame structure for use as a home basketball backboard which, because of the essential nature of its component parts, will allow for easy and uncomplicated installation on a variety of surfaces and planes.

The basketball backboard support structure kit of the present invention in a preferred form consists of a plurality of rigid, longitudinally extending L-sectioned members, each of which is perforated throughout its length with regularly positioned holes designed to seat nuts and bolts to hold the parts together. If, forinstance, one wished to mount the apparatus on a roof, two of the L- shaped members would be afixed to the roof itself, their ends extending beyond the eaves of the roof, and spaced apart from each other at a distance corresponding to the length of two parallel, spaced L-shaped members permanently fastened to the back of the board. No matter what the slope of the particular roof, the position of the board, once fastened to members afllxed to the roof, could be easily adjusted so that the board would be perpendicular to the playing court.

To complete the framework and make the component parts structurally stable, connecting bracing members would be attached by means of bolts, between the free ends of the goal-mounted members and the free ends of the roof-after. members. Each of these bracing memhers is composed of two separate L-sectioned parts, longitudinally adjustable with relation to each other so as to accommodate variations in the distance between the free ends of the other members in different installations. Once positioned, these bracing structures are rigidly connected by bolts or other fastening means, making the unit stable and rigid. By varying this assembly procedure slightly, while using only that material included in the backboard structure kit, the apparatus can be made to function equally well atop the ridge of a roof. In assembly on the side of a building the task is even simpler.

Right angle or L-shaped perforated aluminum strucare-sass Patented Get. 29, .5363

tural members are preferably used, in view of their adequate strength, lightness and ease of handling. However,v other configurations could be employed and the members could be made of other metals, plastic, wood, or other rigid material having suflicient strength.

It is the object of the present invention to provide an adjustable, universal support frame kit that will mount a basketball goal on any wall or on a roof of a building irrespective of slope, or the fact that the roof may be peaked at the intended point of installation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an adjustable frame for mounting a plane surfaced member on a roof or sidewall, wherein the frame consists of a plurality of elongated structural members, each of which has a plurality of holes spaced throughout its entire length selectively usable to provide structural members of different lengths as required for varying sizes and shapes of roofs and side walls.

These and other more specific objects will become apparent from the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which preferred arrangements of the invention are illustrated:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the inventionarranged as a structural frame connecting a basketball goal to a pitched roof;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view taken on line 2-2 on FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the center joint of the bracing structural member of FIGURE 2 and illustrates the aligned connection of two elements;

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation of the structural frame as mounted upon opposite sides of the ridge of a pointed roof;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View of the joint between the roof mounted member and the basketball backboard supporting member described by the line 5-5 on FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view, partly in section, showing the kit assembled to form a modified structural frame mounting a basketball goal to the side wall; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken along line 7-7 on FIGURE 6.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 1 and 2 there is shown a building structure 11 covered by a pitched roof, generally indicated by the reference character 13, having rafters 15 and a roof proper 17 including an eave portion 19. A basketball goal 21, consisting of a circular rim 23 and attached net 25 is mounted on a backboard 27 by means of a bracket 29'. The entire unit is mounted on :the roof by means of an adjustable frame designated generally 31.

Adjustable frame 31 consists of'a plurality of elongated L-seotioned elements 3t) each having a plurality of holes 33, transverse approximately elliptical slots 35, and longitudinal slots 37. While elements having holes as described have proved very effective for alignment purposes,

it is to be undersood that other shapes of holes can be utilized so long as lengthwise adjustment is possible.

A pair of members 39 and 41, each comprising a single structural element 38 in the form illustrated, are rigidly mounted vertically on the rear face of backboard 27 by a plurality of lag screws 43, the heads of which may be countersunk in the face of the board to provide a smooth front surface. Members 39 and 41 are mounted parallel to each other and are spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the distance between hereinafter described members 45 and 47. It is preferable that the ends of members 39 and 41 be spaced equal distances from the top and bottom edges of the backboard.

A second pair of structural elements 45 and 47, preferably of somewhat greater length than the normal elements 36, or alternatively two elements 39 connected in alignment, are rigidly attached to the roof parallel to and preferably immediately over a rafter 15 in each instance. It is preferable that the lower end of each extend adistance beyond the cave sufficient to space a backboard sufficiently to enable a basketball to roll from the roof and drop between the eave and backboard to the ground. By mounting elements 45 and 47 as above described, lag screws 49 can be seated and extended into the rafters 15.

Brace members 53 and 55 interconnect the upper ends of board-connected members 39 and 41 and the respective inner ends of roof-connected members 45 and 47. Each of the brace members consists of two elements 30, longitudinally adjusted with relation to each other so as to be extended to the exact distance between the upper and free ends of the members which they connect with the backboard vertical. Cross brace 57, also consists of two aligned elements 30 connected between the roof-connected members 45 and 47 near their inner ends to provide stiffening and to prevent lateral motion of the frame structure. Alternatively, the brace 57 can be connected between the brace members 53 and 55.

The structural elements 30, of which any of the structural members may be formed, may be interconnected in alignment to provide structural members of desired length, a result made possible, as previously indicated, from the presence of the openings 35 and 37. The ability of these resulting members to be adjusted angularly with respect to other members at their ends is made possible by the L-section design which provides co-planar adjacent surfaces. By selecting the proper length of structural members through proper interconnection of elements 30 a resulting framework can be produced capable of mounting a backboard on a roof of any slope, and with any reasonable spacing of rafters.

Another arrangement of the present invention is dis closed in FIGURES 4 and in which the goal is shown supported on opposite sides of a roof peak. In this embodiment, the structure members and their general arrangement are the same as in the embodiment of FIG- URES l and 2, as denoted by common reference numbers, with the exception of cross brace 57. In this second embodiment brace member 57 may not be connected between roof-conne-cted members 45 and 47 since the peak of the roof would interfere. It is, accordingly, connected between the brace members 53 and 55 at a position en abling it to extend over the roof peak. As shown in FIG- URE 4, the roof rafters extend approximately perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of members 45 and 47 and, as the holes are arranged along their entire lengths it is possible to insert lag screws as desired into the spaced rafters to provide maximum strength.

In FIGURE 5 it can be seen that the flat surface of the short edge of L-seotioned member 47 is parallel to the roof. The same is true of member 45. As the long edges of members 45 and 47 extend upward, greater clearance is provided for the rotation of beams 41 and 39 when pivoting the backboard from the lowered to the vertical position. Since members 45 and 47 are inclined from the vertical at an angle equal to the roof pitch, wedges 71, having a hole for receiving a bolt 65, are inserted between their upstanding inner surfaces and the external surface of the board-connected members 39 and 41. This is illustrated in the case of members 41 and 47 in FIG- URE 5. A second wedge 73 is seated on the inner threaded end of each bolt 65 to provide a surface parallel to the nut 69 seated thereon and against which the latter can abut in pressure-exerting relationship. The angle of the wedges is dependent upon the pitch of the roof and it is desirable that they be made of wood or preferably hard rubber so that they may be shaped by the installer to suit the particular roof. Alternatively the wedge angle may be controlled by using a plurality of thin wedges of relaably wherever a lag screw 77 was extended into the underlying structure.

Since the extension of the frame beyond the eaves, as well as the extended basket rim, provides a long lever arm for forces imparted when a ball strikes the rim, the lag screws holding members 45 and 47 to the roof must be securely fixed. To prevent the shock forces from loosening the lag screws 77 elastomeric grommets 75, having an opening therein for receiving the shank of lag screws 77, are provided between the members 45 and 47 and the upper surface of the roof as best depicted in FIGURE 5.

In FIGURES 6 and 7 a backboard is shown mounted on a vertical wall rather than upon a roof. As shown in these figures, members 39 and 41 are mounted on the rear surface of backboard 27 by means of lag screws 43 in a horizontal manner rather than in a vertical manner as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4. Preferably, beams 39 and 41 are parallel and spaced apart with their ends equi-spaced from the edge of the backboard. Wall-connected members 45 and 47 are mounted horizontally. on a vertical support wall by means of lag screws 91 which extend into wall studs 93. Regardless of the spacing of the wall studs, the lag screws may be inserted therein through the respective aligned holes of beams 45 and 47. :It is preferable that the short edges of beams 39 and 41, and 45 and 47 be attached respectively to the backboard and wall, since the long edges will then extend in the horizontal thereby providing more working space between the backboard and wall.

As in each use of the structural elements a plurality of elements 30 may be connected in aligned relationship to form the members 39, 41 and 45 and 47, if desired.

After the structural elements have been attached to the wall and to the backboard as described, the backboard is lifted into the position and bolts 95 are inserted in aligned holes and tightened to secure together the boardconnected members 39 and 41 in the wall carried members '45 and 47.

In the kit suitable for attaching a backboard to various supports a plurality of structural L-sectioned elements 30 will be necessary. Depending upon the size of the board and the length of the elements a kit including approximately ten elements 30 would be sufficient to meet any mounting condition encountered, supplemented by the necessary lag screws, bolts and wedges.

It can be seen that by the present invention a simple, compact, complete and adjustable do-it-yourself kit is provided wherein the various parts thereof may be used in various arrangements and constructions to attach a basketball goal or its equivalent to the side or roof of a house irrespective of the size or shape thereof.

While the particular basketball goal set herein shown and disclosed in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A basketball goal kit adapted for assembly and mounting on building roofs of different designs, said kit comprising a large area flat-surface backboard, a plurality of pairs of elongated rigid angle-iron supporting members securable to the rear of said backboard adjacent the opposite lateral ends thereof and including means for adjusting the same to project rearwardly from aroasoa aid backboard selectively at different angles with the length of a lower pair of members lying parallel to the surface of a building roof on which it is desired to mount said goal, means for securing the outer ends of said lower pair of members to the roof with said backboard spaced outwardly away from the edge of the roof sufficiently to allow a basketball rolling along the roof to escape between the roof edge and said backboard, a second pair of said rigid members being adapted to be mounted parallel to one another but inclined downwardly and rearwardly from near the'upper horizontal edge of said backboard at an angle such that their outer ends lie close to the roof surface while supporting the said backboard in a vertical plane, and means for so curing the outer ends of said second pair of members rigidly to the roof, and basket means scourable to the forward face of said backboard.

2. A readily demountable basketball goal kit adapted to be compactly packaged for storage and shipment and including components adapted to be assembled selectively to meet the varying mounting conditions provided by various designs and slopes of building roofs commonly present in the rear of dwelling premises and suitable as mounting supports for said basketball goal, said kit comprising a backbomd panel, a plurality of pairs of angle irons including means for securing one end of each adjustably to the rear side of said backboard at points near the end corners thereof and with one flange of each angle iron disposed generally vertically and the other flange of each disposed generally horizontally, a lower pair of said angle irons being adapted to be mounted parallel to one another and adjustable to project rear- .wardly from said backboard at an angle corresponding to the slope of a building roof on which said goal is to be mounted, means for securing the outer ends of said lower pair of angle irons to the roof with the rear of the backboard spaced outwardly away from the roof edge to let escape a basketball accidentally falling on the roof e rwardly of said backboard, and an upper pair of angle irons being adapted to be mounted parallel to one another but inclined downwardly from the horizontal with their outer ends spaced closely adjacent the roof, and fastener means insertable into the roof for securing the outer ends of said upper pair of angle irons to the roof and cooperating with said lower pair of angle irons in holding said backboard rigidly supported on the roof in a vertical plane, and basket means securable to the lower forward side of said backboard.

3. A basketball goal kit adapted to be assembled selectively by the purchaser to a variety of roofs having an cave and rafters and pitched at different angles, said goal kit comprising a backboard, first and second structural members adapted to be mounted on said backboard, said first and second structural members being adapted to be mounted parallel and spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the spacing etween first and second rafters of a roof structure, a third structural member adapted to be mounted parallel to and directly above said first rafter, a fourth structural member adapted to be mounted parallel to and directly above said second rafter, one end of each of said third and fourth structural members extending approximately one foot beyond the cave of said roof to provide room for a basketball landing on the roof to escape between the backboard and the adjacent eave edge, first means adapted to interconnect one end of said first structural member to said one end of said third structural member, second means adapted to interconnect one end of said second structural member to said one end of said fourth structural member, third means adapted to connect the other end of first structural member to the other end of said third structural member, fourth means adapted to connect the other end of said second structural member to the other end of aid fourth structural member, each of said third and ourth means comprising a pair of longitudinally extended structural members each of which has a plurality of holes ext riding the length thereof and means for inserting into aligned holes of each of said pairs of structural members o rigid interconnection of each of the structural mems of e ch pair whereby said backboard may be pivoted oout said connections until the plane surface thereof is vertical and said last mentioned means are insertable to rigidly hold said backboard in the vertical position notwithstanding the pitch of the particular roof to which the goal kit is being secured.

A basketball goal kit as defined in claim 3 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth structural members have a plurality of holes spaced along the length thereof whereby alignment of the rafters and said third fourth structural members is easily obtained, and alignment between-said first and second structural members and said third and fourth structural members is easily obtained. l

5. A kit of structural frame members adapted to be assembled to mount a basketball backboard astride the ridge of pitched roofs of Widely varying pitches and having eave extending parallel to the plane of said backboard, said kit comprising, a backboard, first and second structural members adapted to be mounted on the rear side of said backboard, third and-fourth structural memaers adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of the peak of said pitched roofs, first means adapted to pivotally interconnect one end of said first structural member to one end of said third structural member, second means adapted to pivotally interconnect one end of said second structural member to one end of said fourth structural member, third means adapted to connect the other end of said first structural member to the other end of said third structural member, fourth means adapted to connect the other end of said second structural member to he other end of said fourth structural member, each of said third and fourth means being longitudinally adjustable to rigidly position said backboard in a vertical position notwithstanding the pitch of the particular roof on which said structural frame members are to be mounted.

6. A kit as defined in claim 5 wherein each of said first, second, third and fourth structural members have a plurality of holes spaced along the length thereof whereby alignment of the rafters and said third and fourth structural members is easily obtained, and'alignrnent between said first and second structural members and said third and fourth structural members is easily obtained.

7. A kit as defined in claim 5 wherein said third and fourth structural members are right angle structural members one leg of each of which right angle members is adapted to be mounted parallel to the pitched surface, wedges having an angle approximately equal to the roof pitch, said wedges being insertable between said first and third and second and fourth structural members, respectively, to facilitate supporting said first and second structural members in a vertical position.

Refe ences liter in the tile of this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS 2,632,533 laclenzie Mar. 24, 1953 2,831,689 Marsh Apr. 22, 1958 2,872,192 Margetts et al. Feb. 3, 1959 

1. A BASKETBALL GOAL KIT ADAPTED FOR ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING ON BUILDING ROOFS OF DIFFERENT DESIGNS, SAID KIT COMPRISING A LARGE AREA FLAT-SURFACE BACKBOARD, A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF ELONGATED RIGID ANGLE-IRON SUPPORTING MEMBERS SECURABLE TO THE REAR OF SAID BACKBOARD ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE LATERAL ENDS THEREOF AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE SAME TO PROJECT REARWARDLY FROM SAID BACKBOARD SELECTIVELY AT DIFFERENT ANGLES WITH THE LENGTH OF A LOWER PAIR OF MEMBERS LYING PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF A BUILDING ROOF ON WHICH IT IS DESIRED TO MOUNT SAID GOAL, MEANS FOR SECURING THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID LOWER PAIR OF MEMBERS TO THE ROOF WITH SAID BACKBOARD SPACED OUTWARDLY AWAY FROM THE EDGE OF THE ROOF SUFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW A BASLETBALL ROLLING ALONG THE ROOF TO ESCAPE BETWEEN THE ROOF EDGE AND SAID BACKBOARD, A SECOND PAIR OF SAID RIGID MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER BUT INCLINED DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM NEAR THE UPPER HORIZONTAL EDGE OF SAID BACKBOARD AT AN ANGLE SUCH THAT THEIR OUTER ENDS LIE CLOSE TO THE ROOF SURFACE WHILE SUPPORTING THE SAID BACKBOARD IN A VERTICAL PLANE, AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE OUTER ENDS OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF MEMBERS RIGIDLY TO THE ROOF, AND BASKET MEANS SECURABLE TO THE FORWARD FACE OF SAID BACKBOARD. 